Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is second in line to the British throne. His father Prince Charles, known as the Duke of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales, is the current heir. Is there a chance that the heir may be replaced by his own son? If the people had their way, that just might happen. Fifty-one percent of people polled in Britain, 52% in Australia and 47% in Canada would prefer to see William follow his grandmother as monarch. “Only 31 per cent of Britons, 17% of Canadians and 13 per cent of Australians would prefer to see Charles ascend the throne,” reportsDNA India. But according to law, popularity is not the issue.

If it were, the 29-year-old prince, with his bride Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, could take over right now. Prince William is the most popular royal at the moment, with 82% of Britons having a favorable opinion of him. Duchess Catherine is next, at 77%. Ah, young love. It’s fun to watch a beautiful and charming couple. Prince William’s father and stepmother rank lowest of all in popularity. Unfortunately, that still does not matter.

There is, of course, royal precedent for the switch. Two generations ago, King Edward VIII, uncle of Her Majesty the Queen, abdicated in favor of his brother, so that he could marry the woman he lovedÂ—a divorced American. Queen Elizabeth’s father, George VI, took the throne. This time around, Prince Charles has played out a similar story. He is divorced himself, and his current wife Camilla was with him while he was previously married. People are slow to forgive cheating on the popular Princess Diana. But Prince Charles would have to make the choice himself, and he has waited all his life to be king.